Review Summary: Brutal Death Metal album from a above average band!
Severe Torture are a 5 piece Death Metal band hailing from the Netherlands.
Severe Torture consists of:
Dennis - Vocals
Thijs - Guitar
Marvin - Guitar
Patrick - Bass
Seth - Drums
On the cover of this album was a sticker that compared this "Fall Of The Despised" to Cannibal Corpse' masterpiece "Tomb of The Mutilated", now I know that record labels have to have something to draw attention to their albums, and admittedly that sticker definetely caught my attention. But comparing it to a classic makes it a difficult task for any band, including Severe Torture, a above average Death Metal band to live up to.
"Fall Of The Despised" kicks off the frantically paced "Endless Strain Of Cadavers" which sounds like a song that Cannibal Corpse decided not to use. Now don;t get me wrong it is a very well put together track, with a very well performed guitar solo close to the end, but their is a line between being influenced by a band, and ripping them off, and Severe Torture are very close to crossing over that line. This track basically lets you know what the entire album is going to be like. Not saying "Fall Of The Despised" is a bad album, it's just been done before way to many times.
The sticker was correct, this album does remind me of "Tomb Of The Mutilated", seeing as the guitars are unrelentless almost all the way through, blisteringly heavy, and technical. Dennis' vocals remind me alot of Chris Barnes, just extermely low growls, but he does mix it up by using a scream that reminds of the vocals you hear on cro-mag albums, strange but it fits. Seth, pounds the drums with technical precision, showing that he could definetley show up some of the big name drummers in the Death Metal genre. The bass is there, not the best bass playing but follows the gutiar well, I was hoping to be able to hear the bass performance a little better, I hope it is in the mix more next album!!!!
Overall this is a very solid album having its stand out tracks, those being "Sawn Off", Uncoditional Annihilation", "Impulsive Mutilation", and "Dead From The Waist Up".Quite a few pros in this album, those being, every one puts on a very good performance, guitar parts are very well up together, and good production. Cons: more bass, vocals lower in the mix, they seem to drown out most of the other instruments.
